NATO considers shooting down Russian missiles near borders - Polish FM

NATO considers the possibility of shooting down Russian missiles if they fly toward the Alliance's territory, Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna said in an inerview with RMF 24 on March 26.

NATO is analyzing various concepts, including shooting down Russian missiles when they are very close to the Alliance's borders, Szejna said.

"But this would have to happen with the consent of the Ukrainian side and taking into account the international consequences - then NATO missiles would hit Russian missiles outside NATO territory."

Read also: Russian missile enters territory of Poland

But he also said that Russia cannot impose any rules on NATO.

"He (Putin) has to get used to the fact that the NATO side, the side of democratic countries, the EU will start setting a certain tone when it comes to resolving the conflict in Ukraine," the diplomat added.

Poland is serious about the threats of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who has already shown that he "can do anything", said Szejna.

"What he has achieved so far, apart from hundreds of thousands of wounded and killed on both sides, is that Sweden and Finland have joined NATO," he concluded.

Read also: Poland to demand explanations from Russia over missile violation of its airspace

"In July, we will have another NATO summit. We are seeing consolidation of the EU countries, activation of the Weimar Triangle."

What is known about the violation of Polish airspace by a Russian missile on March 24

Polish Armed Forces reported that a Russian missile entered Polish airspace at 5:23 a.m. Kyiv time on March 24 near the city of Ocerdów in the Lublin Voivodeship, and stayed in Polish airspace for 39 seconds.

Read also: Poland scrambles fighter jets as Russian missile flies within 50 km of NATO border before turning

Throughout the flight, the object was tracked by Polish military radar systems.

Polish Foreign Ministry said it would demand explanations from Russia and called Russia to "stop terrorist air attacks against the people and territory of Ukraine, as well as to end the war and deal with the country's internal problems."

Later, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Shejna said that, according to diplomatic protocol, the Russian ambassador would be summoned to the ministry "today or tomorrow," but it is not yet known when he will report there.

Poland's further decisions will depend on the ambassador's explanations.

Read also: Russian missiles entering NATO airspace should be intercepted — Lithuania

Polish National Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Polish troops would have shot down the Russian missile that violated Polish airspace in the morning if they were sure that it was heading for some target inland.

This is not the first time that Russian missiles have entered Polish skies. For example, during the attack on Dec. 29, Russian missile stayed over Poland for about three minutes. And on Feb. 7 this year, one of the Russian missiles dangerously approached the border with Poland.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine